First-timer saying "hello"

Hi, my name is Terez Mertes and I'm a former ballet dancer (amateur) and a writer and have recently started doing ballet-oriented things once again, after years off. I've had the opportunity to attend the San Francisco Ballet, which, oddly, at first I was nervous about doing. Are there any other former ballet dancers out there who feel emotional about watching professionals performing, and thinking "oh, what I came close to being...." or "oh, the glory days, now long gone..."? To my relief, I found I could enjoy the San Francisco Ballet performances without feeling too much of that twinge, and now i hope to make it a three-times-a-season visit. I'm also re-enrolled in ballet classes, which is a lot of fun, although rather humbling, at age 50!

I've come by this forum to lurk around in the past year or so, and always enjoy hearing other audience members' comments, particularly from those who are former dancers, as well. I have also recently started up a blog that features similar ballet talk, some of my own experiences, as well as touching on classical music and the violin, my other fine arts loves. (I blog as The Classical Girl - I won't be tacky and leave a link here on my introduction post.)

Looking forward to perusing the site more, now as a member and not just a lurker. And if there are any ballet dancer blogs out there that you'd recommend following, I'd love to hear about them so I can check those out as well. (Both amateur and professional dancers' blogs. Oddly, the amateurs seem to do a far better job at the game. Or maybe not odd.)

Wecomee to this very informative site. I can well understand your apprehension of returning to the ballet world. I was forced out of a career as a result of a severe injury on stage. It took me a very long time to adjust to life w/o dancing. It was quite difficult to even attend a performance without tears. I so very much loved ballet for itself, and not just me in in it. However, Now I can attend performances etc & enjoy them. Still, there is an occasional twinge to wish for the good old days, or dream of what might have been. I am gratiful that I had the opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful art. Glad you are now a part of our group of addicted balletomanes.

Aww, Ballet Foot, I love reading what you posted. Thank you so much for your honesty, and it warms me to read of someone else's challenging experience. And it makes me feel like I'm not alone in loving ballet, but still feeling the twinges of something more emotional and elusive and conflicting. You said it all so well - thank you! And thank you for the welcome.

Thank you, Terez. Being a dancer is part of who you are.....no matter what happens in life. Once part of the "Terpsichore Tribe", always a member. The love for ballet never dies, even though at times it has to play "2nd fiddle"....sorry for mixing metaphors...or should I have said, "dance in the corps".

Thank you, Terez. Being a dancer is part of who you are.....no matter what happens in life. Once part of the "Terpsichore Tribe", always a member. The love for ballet never dies, even though at times it has to play "2nd fiddle"....

The humor in this is that I took up learning to play the violin several years back, during an off-period of no ballet. Now ballet and fiddle-playing take turns playing second fiddle! (And now I know where the term comes from!)